AITeamGuide

The price watchdog for AI employees

AI receptionists forDentalMedicalLaw firmsHome servicesReal estateRestaurantsSalons & spasAuto repairVeterinaryInsurance

Price check · Updated October 20, 2026

AI receptionists advertise $24.95 a month. Here’s what they actually cost.

We took the public pricing pages of 11 ready-to-use AI receptionists (plus Ruby, a live-human service, for comparison) and worked out the bill for a normal small office: 300 calls a month, about 3 minutes each. The cheapest advertised plan is rarely the one you end up paying for.

Advertised price vs. real monthly bill Advertised price Real bill at 300 calls/mo
  1. Goodcall $79 → $129 1.6× Goodcall: advertised $79/mo, real bill $129 a month.
  2. Rosie $49 → $149 3.0× Rosie: advertised $49/mo, real bill $149 a month.
  3. Upfirst $24.95 → $159.95 6.4× Upfirst: advertised $24.95/mo, real bill $159.95 a month.
  4. NextPhone $199 → $199 NextPhone: advertised $199/mo, real bill $199 a month.
  5. My AI Front Desk $99 → $264 2.7× My AI Front Desk: advertised $99/mo, real bill $264 a month.
  6. Dialzara $29 → $352 12.1× Dialzara: advertised $29/mo, real bill $352 a month.
  7. Slang.ai $399 → $399 Slang.ai: advertised $399/mo, real bill $399 a month.
  8. Newo.ai $0 to start → $449 Newo.ai: advertised $0 to start, real bill $449 a month.
  9. Smith.ai $150 → $501 3.3× Smith.ai AI Receptionist: advertised $150/mo, real bill $501 a month.
  10. Sameday AI $449 → $789 1.8× Sameday AI: advertised $449/mo, real bill $789 a month.
  11. Synthflow $30,000/yr → $2,500 Synthflow: advertised $30,000/yr, real bill $2,500 a month.
  12. Ruby (humans) $250 → $3,127.50 12.5× Ruby: advertised $250/mo, real bill $3,127.50 a month.

Bars past $800 are cut off at the right edge (shown with a break). Real bill = cheapest public plan covering 300 calls × 3 min, monthly billing. Math on each product page.

Not charted: build-it-yourself platforms (Retell AI ≈ $115/mo, Bland AI ≈ $126/mo, Vapi ≈ $74-116/mo, plus build time); Arini ($499/mo (unverified)), Allo AI Receptionist ($90/mo (usage caps not published)); and Weave AI Receptionist, Loman, Numa, Sonant, which don't publish a usable price. Full price index →

Best AI receptionist for…

IndustryOur pickReal cost
Dental Offices Weave AI Receptionist$199 + AI add-on (not public)
Medical Practices Weave AI Receptionist$199 + AI add-on (not public)
Law Firms Smith.ai AI Receptionist≈ $501/mo
HVAC, Plumbing & Home Services Goodcall$129/mo
Real Estate Agents Rosie$149/mo
Restaurants Slang.aifrom $399/mo
Salons, Spas & Med Spas Upfirst$159.95/mo
Auto Repair Shops Goodcall$129/mo
Veterinary Clinics Upfirst$159.95/mo
Insurance Agencies SonantContact sales

What we cover

  1. 01

    AI receptionists

    Answer every call, book appointments, take messages.

    Live
  2. 02

    Phone & voice agents

    Build-your-own voice agents and outbound callers.

    Next
  3. 03

    Sales follow-up & appointment setting

    Call back leads in minutes, book meetings.

    Next
  4. 04

    Customer support agents

    Answer tickets, chat and email around the clock.

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  5. 05

    Real estate & insurance agents

    Lead qualification and policy or listing questions.

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The monthly price check

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